Understanding current and future vulnerability in coastal settings: community perceptions and preferences for adaptation in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abstract

Many developing countries are already affected by multiple stressors, which have increased their vulnerability to accelerated negative environmental change. Coastal erosion, deforestation and habitat fragmentation become even more serious problems in coastal locations when coupled with the projected impacts of climate change. However, anticipatory adaptation to such changes as increased coastal erosion and extreme events does not need to wait for specific climate scenarios, but is more reliant on the examination of current vulnerabilities and the range of possible no-regret strategies. These need to, however, accommodate multiple stakeholder preferences. This study therefore examines coastal communities' perceptions of environmental change in northeast Zanzibar, Tanzania and their preferences for adaptive strategies, while simultaneously examining physical change processes through change analysis. The study suggests coastal forest buffer zones as an anticipatory adaptation measure, which is based on soft measures such as vegetation planting, awareness raising and stakeholder cooperation.

Local Perceptions, Ruslefac Mapping, and Field Results: The Sediment Budget of Cocagne River, New Brunswick, Canada

“…Different participatory approaches and methods can be used to understand people's perception of environmental issues, including semi-structured interviews (Bell et al 2012;Mustelin et al 2010). Interviews (n = 15) with residents of the watershed (age 35-70 years old; 12 men and 3 women) were conducted during two consecutive summers in 2010-2011.…”

Tropical wetlands for climate change adaptation and mitigation: science and policy imperatives with special reference to Indonesia

“…Researchers need to examine how environmental governance problems and processes of change are explained by communities, institutions and other local stakeholders. It is important to understand how drivers of change are perceived within a system, what they mean and what can be done to address them (Mustelin et al 2010). As mentioned in Chapter 2, a clearer understanding of the long-term consequences of wetland degradation and conversion, and the implementation of related awareness programmes and institutional linkages, could reduce differences in perceptions among stakeholders and actors.…”

Livelihood Assets and Activities in Two East Coast Communities of Zanzibar and Implications for Vulnerability to Climate Change and Non-Climate Risks

“…For instance, in the past two decades, Zanzibar has experienced a high frequency of dry spells and localised food shortages (Said, 2011;Walsh, 2009), stronger winds and more heat waves than previously recorded (Watkiss et al, 2012) and coral reef bleaching attributed to the El Niño event of 1997/1998 (Payet and Obura, 2004). Other events have included coastal floods in urban Unguja in 2007 (Mustelin et al, 2010) and coastal floods in arable lands in Pemba in 2010-2011 (Sultan, 2011). Additionally, rainfall has shown declining trends particularly along the east coast of both islands, Unguja and Pemba (Salum, 2009;Kombo, 2011;Watkiss et al, 2012).…”